International passengers arriving at land ports or ferry terminals in the United States must continue to show evidence of full vaccination against the coronavirus, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday.
Unlike air passengers entering the United States, land and ferry passengers will not yet have to show a recent negative coronavirus test to cross the border.
Homeland Security said the rules for entering land and ferries had been expanded following discussions with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several other federal agencies.
International travelers must present a vaccination document issued by a government health agency to customs and border guards, along with their passport and other documents.
The CDC believes that people have been fully vaccinated after two weeks of receiving a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson. Those who have received a full course of other vaccines listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization will also be considered fully vaccinated, the CDC said.
Trade and travel are “essential to our economic security,” Alejandro N. Mallorca, secretary of internal security, said in a statement, adding that the administration believes it can protect public health at the same time.
In November, the Biden administration lifted travel restrictions on land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated passengers, reopening the United States to tourists and people separated from their families during the pandemic.
Commercial drivers and students were among those who were never barred from crossing land borders, but in January the United States began requiring them to provide proof of vaccination when crossing.
Air passengers aged 2 and over must normally show a negative coronavirus test taken the day before boarding a flight to the United States, regardless of their vaccination status or nationality. Alternatively, people who have tested positive in the last 90 days can travel despite a recent test if they have signed a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or public health official stating that they have received a permit. for traveling.
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